


i'm in love i'm in love and i don't care who knows it!

by orphan_account



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, Fluff, M/M, elf au!!!!!!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 17:09:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17165942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: changmin's christmas gets turned upside down and, subsequently, so does his love life.





	i'm in love i'm in love and i don't care who knows it!

**Author's Note:**

> elf came on the other day and of course my tvxq brain was like holy fuck yunho and changmin would fit this dynamic perfectly
> 
> also I started this out as yunho pov and then changed it to changmin’s so i could have an excuse to leave out like. all of the plot lmao but that’s why this might seem kinda rushed/messy and short bc i had to go back and change a lot and still finish it before christmas was over :/ and i’ve absolutely written their height difference in this to be equivalent to the characters in the movie so. do with that what you will
> 
> it’s also kind of occurring to me right now that it rly helps if you’ve seen elf to understand this kjdkdhdkshf i tried

_Ah, Christmas time,_ Changmin thinks, standing on a step-ladder and hanging ornaments on one of the trees, _I hope every customer in this store perishes._

He hears Wanda approaching, speaking with someone whose voice he doesn’t recognize.

“Welcome to the North Pole.” Wanda says.

“This isn’t the North Pole.” The man replies. He sounds happy. Like, way too happy.

“Yes it is.”

“No it isn’t.”

“Yes it is.”

“No it isn’t.”

“Yes it is.”

“No it isn’t.” Wanda sighs audibly.

“Just—go help Changmin finish with the tree.” Changmin startles at his name and realizes he’s stopped decorating his tree while he was eavesdropping, so he resumes his work again. He plugs in the tree just as he sees the apparently new employee turn around to face him out of the corner of his eye.

Then New Guy walks over to him and just. Stares. His gaze flickers between Changmin and his tree at a somewhat alarming rate. It creeps Changmin out.

“Enjoying the view?” He says in his most uninterested voice as he turns to face New Guy, and promptly snaps his jaw shut because, _Christ,_ New Guy is pretty. His eyes are small and deep and his nose is so straight and structured it looks like it was hand-sculpted by a god and his lips are perfectly bowed and he has a cute little mole above his top lip and—

Anyways. He takes back the creepy thing.

“Yes!” New Guy practically shouts, smiling wide as he looks over at the tree. “You’re very good at decorating!”

Changmin eyes him somewhat suspiciously from his spot by the tree. Okay, maybe not creepy, but definitely weird.

“Thank you.” He says and it almost sounds like a question. “Pass me that string of lights. I’m Changmin.”

“I’m Yunho, the elf!” Yunho says, grabbing the lights and passing them over.

“Right. Elf.”

-

Changmin comes home to realize his water got shut off again, so he wakes up at 4am the next day to head into Gimbels so he can use their showers. It’s his shitty paying job’s fault that he can’t pay the water bill anyways so he figures he’s owed at least this much.

He walks in to see the interior of the store looking completely different than it was when he left last night. There’s white, paper decorations hanging off of everything, lights strung across every column, and a fucking massive lego sculpture of New York sitting on the table where perfume samples used to be. Changmin spends a few seconds staring in awe and confusion before remembering that its 4 in the morning and he’s here to get clean, not gawk.

He sings his personal rendition of _Baby, It’s Cold Outside_ very loudly while he’s showering because no one’s there so nothing matters. Except, when he’s reaching the end of the chorus it almost sounds like there’s a deeper voice singing with him. He marks it down to the showers echoing weirdly.

It’s when he sings the very last line that he realizes there is actually another voice singing with him and it’s right next to his shower and he lets out a scream that he is not proud of.

Changmin turns the shower off and rips open the curtain to grab his towel before peeking his head around the corner.

It’s Yunho.

Of course it’s Yunho. He’s sitting cross-legged on the bathroom counter.

“Fucking Christ, Yunho!” He wraps the towel around his waist before stepping out of the shower. “Way to fucking scare a guy.”

“I’m sorry! Your voice is just so beautiful, it’s the prettiest voice I’ve ever heard! I wanted to come sing with you.” Yunho looks somewhat apologetic, but mostly excited and cheerful, a bright smile plastered onto his face.

“I—okay. That’s. Okay. Maybe just tell me you’re in here next time, yeah? I’m not exactly expecting anyone in the showers at 4am. Also I don’t like to sing in front of people.”

“But _Changmin,_ the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear.”

Changmin rolls his eyes. Yunho continues.

“Why were _you_ in the showers at 4am, then?”

“My water got shut off.” Yunho looks like he doesn’t really understand what that means but he nods anyways, a little _ohhh_ falling from his mouth.

“Why are you here, then? If not to steal resources from this capitalistic wasteland.”

Yunho looks confused again. But then he perks up.

“I was decorating!”

“You did all that?”

Yunho nods enthusiastically. “I’ve gotta make everything look good for Santa.”

“Santa.” Changmin repeats. Yunho just nods again, grinning.

 _God this guy is really, really weird. It’s kind of hot,_ Changmin thinks to himself.

_Kind of._

-

They talk a little more later that day. Yunho just follows him around and Changmin has no idea what his actual job is, so he doesn’t stop him. He likes Yunho’s company anyways.

Yunho reveals to him that he came to New York to find his dad, and now he’s living with the man and his wife and son. _My brother! I have a brother!_ Yunho tells him excitedly. Changmin can’t help but feel happy for him, even if it hurts a little because it reminds him that he has no family close enough to celebrate the holidays with. He decides that that’s a story for another time, though.

Yunho asks him all sorts of questions, what his favorite food is, if he likes dogs, where he’s from, etc etc. Changmin would usually view questions like that as stupid things used to break the ice with someone, but Yunho seems genuinely interested in his answers. It kind of throws him for a loop.

He loses Yunho when he has to go down to the storage room to get another string of lights, but when he comes back, he finds Yunho pretty easily.

Because he’s fighting Santa. Like, physically fist-fighting him.

Huh.

They make a fucking mess. Changmin hopes he doesn’t have to clean that up. He would be more worried about Yunho but he is clearly winning and Wanda should be here to break them up in a few seconds.

And speak of the devil, Wanda storms in and breaks it up. Then kicks Yunho out which is to-be-expected.

He doubts Wanda’s gonna let Yunho anywhere near this store after that fiasco. Changmin’s sadder than he’d like to admit that he probably won’t see him again.

\- 

Yunho comes back the next day with some kid. Changmin might visibly brighten. He might even smile. He makes eye contact with Yunho from across the room and they both smile at each other for a few seconds before the kid he’s with tugs the man down into a conversation.

Changmin waits until he gets the opportunity to sneak away from where he’s currently stationed in Santa’s (who is now Wanda) area and makes his way over to them. Yunho’s still in his elf outfit.

“What are you doing here? Did Wanda give you your job back?”

“No, but it’s okay! I just got a restraining order.” Yunho’s still smiling. Changmin can’t tell if he’s joking or not.

“Uh-huh.” Is all Changmin can think to say. He looks back to where Wanda is sitting to see his eyes shooting daggers in their direction. Restraining order it is, then. He looks back to Yunho, then down to the kid.

“Oh! This is Donghae. He’s my brother! Donghae, this is Changmin.”

They give each other a little wave, then Donghae speaks up.

“Yunho has something to ask you.” Changmin is intrigued. Yunho looks like he wants to run away.

“Yeah! Um.” Yunho takes a deep breath. “I just—I think you’re really beautiful and your eyes are so captivating and you have the sweetest voice and the prettiest smile and talking to you makes my forehead sweat? And sometimes my tongue will start to swell up? And I just get so nervous because you’re the most interesting person I’ve ever met and I really like you so, um.”

Changmin really doesn’t know if it's him or Yunho who's blushing more. God, this guy cannot be _real._ Changmin just kind of stands there gaping until Yunho speaks again.

“Would you like to—” Yunho starts and stops abruptly, eyes flickering from Changmin to the rest of the store and back nervously before he finally gets through his question. “Would you want to go get food with me?”

“Go get… food.” Changmin says in response. “Like, a date?” He asks, because he might as well make sure.

“Yes! Yes, a date! A food date!” Yunho is beaming again so, _so_ bright it makes Changmin’s knees feel a little weak. God, no one needed a smile that blinding. He loves it. He feels himself smiling back automatically.

He looks down at Donghae and he just nods. Alright.

“Well, I just had my lunch break.” and Yunho visibly deflates at that, seeming to shrink an inch or two, frown forming on his face coupled by sad eyes. Changmin’s gonna die.

“But,” Changmin starts, hurrying to correct himself, “I’m free Thursday night. If that’s okay?” 

“Thursday!” Yunho’s demeanor changes completely and he smiles that smile and literally starts jumping up and down. “Thursday! Thursday!”

He gets louder with each one and Changmin thinks about running away until Donghae forcibly pulls him away and out of the Santa’s Village section of the store. He can still hear a faint repetition of _Thursday!_ for another 7 seconds, not that he’s counting.

Changmin feels like his face is going to burn off.

\- 

He hears a knock on his door right on time come Thursday night. He looks himself over in the mirror. He’s got on his best jeans (they’re black and have holes in the knees which isn’t great for New York winter but they make his legs look really good) and a sweater with two shirts layered underneath, all covered by his black long coat. Paired with his warmest beanie and shoes as well as a pair of thin gloves. The outfit looks kind of basic because everything is black, but he still looks good. He’ll take it.

When he opens the door he is pleasantly surprised.

Yunho’s got on an outfit pretty similar to his own, just with nice dress pants and a grey coat instead of black. And his hat is much—furrier. And, not that Changmin doesn’t think Yunho looks good in his elf outfit, but Yunho looks _really_ good in normal people clothes.

“You clean up nice.”

“Was I not clean before?” Yunho frowns. Changmin wants to slap both of them on the forehead.

“No—yes. Yes, you were fine before. It’s just a saying. I meant you look handsome.”

Yunho smiles wide and _god,_ he’s pretty.

“Well, you look beautiful.” Changmin is so grateful he’s wearing a hat because he can feel both of his ears going entirely red.

“Thank you.” he tells the taller man. “So, where were you thinking of going?”

“I’ve got a few ideas.” And then Yunho turns and starts to walk away.

Okay.

Changmin follows him.

-

They end up at a shitty coffee place drinking shitty coffee, but Yunho insists it’s the best coffee in the world, so Changmin forces himself to drink the entire cup.

Then Yunho tries to get him to run around in the revolving doors of some hotel. He doesn’t take part in that one.

And then, he’s being dragged through the streets, from store window to store window, so Yunho can show him all of the Christmas trees.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Yunho asks, when they’re looking at a particularly big one. Changmin might think to himself _not as beautiful as you_ but that is decidedly way too cheesy and it almost makes him gag a little.

“I know something you’ll love.” He says instead, and takes Yunho to Central Park so they can look at the biggest tree he knows of. Yunho looks like he’s gonna shit his pants from excitement. He’s jumping up and down.

“It’s amazing! That’s the biggest Christmas tree I’ve ever seen!” Changmin feels a sense of pride in being the one to get to show it to Yunho.

They end up in the ice rink next to the tree and Changmin holds Yunho’s hand so they can help each other stay balanced. That’s the only reason. He swears.

After a couple laps, Changmin unlinks their hands just to loop his arm through Yunho’s own and then they’re slowing down and he feels Yunho lightly press his lips to his cheek.

 _Shit fuck he’s adorable._ Changmin blushes something furious, before he stops his skating completely and looks up at Yunho, eyes wide.

“I—sorry,” is the only thing Yunho can get out, the panic in his eyes makes Changmin want to laugh and cry at the same time. Yunho’s really worried that he fucked it all up by a mere kiss on the cheek. God, that’s even more adorable. Changmin decides that he wants a real kiss.

“You missed.” Changmin says like it’s the simplest thing in the world.

“I missed?” Yunho questions, confused.

“You missed _._ ” And Changmin grabs him by the lapels of his coat and presses their mouths together.

He feels Yunho go still in shock for a second, but then he positively _melts_ into Changmin’s mouth and Changmin thinks it might already be the best kiss he’s ever had. And it’s been like, two seconds.

Changmin wraps one of his arms around Yunho’s neck, lightly tugs on his hair. Yunho lets out a tiny whimper. He moves to circle his arms around Changmin’s waist, pulls him closer, presses his lips a little harder.

Changmin pulls away after another second or two, breathless and smiling. Yunho smiles back and there’s a moment where he feels like they’re the only two people in the city and yes he realizes he sounds cliché as hell. Yunho leans in for another kiss and Changmin happily reciprocates. They’re both still smiling and their teeth knock against each other a little before they find a rhythm but Changmin thinks it’s the sweetest most perfect thing in the world.

-

The next day, Yunho sneaks into Gimbels again and Changmin immediately announces that he’s going on break and drags them both to one of the empty back rooms before anyone can see him, which is difficult because Yunho is like 700 feet tall. He’s also in normal human clothes again and Changmin doesn’t know if it’s making him more or less obvious.

“You’re going to get yourself arrested. Or worse, Wanda’s gonna beat you up himself.” Changmin says with a jokingly patronizing tone, pressing a teasing finger into Yunho’s chest, but he’s smiling so it gives him away.

“I’d have you to protect me, though.” Yunho smiles back and grabs the finger Changmin laid on him, moving his hand down to link their fingers together. It’s so tooth-achingly sweet and Changmin knows Yunho isn’t even saying it to flirt and that somehow makes him blush even harder than usual.

“You—” Changmin starts, flustered. He really doesn’t know what to say, so he kisses Yunho instead. Yunho doesn’t mind.

-

On Christmas Eve, Changmin is sitting in his favorite chair with a bowl of ramen in his lap and watching the local news, when he sees Yunho appear on the screen in a shaky video taken in Central Park. The newswoman is talking about how there was some kind of explosion and now rangers are looking for the man in the video.

_What the fuck._

Changmin all but throws down his ramen, not even bothering to change out of his pajamas before he’s throwing on a coat, beanie, and gloves. He grabs his keys and wallet off of the counter and runs out of the door.

He arrives just in time to see Donghae talking to the camera, saying something about how Santa needs their help, how people need more Christmas spirit or he won’t be able to work his sleigh. And then he’s reading a bunch of names from a big book and saying what each person wants for Christmas.

“—and Shim Changmin wants a Lego Star Wars kit and to find a job that won’t make him want to punch his own brain in every day.”

Changmin’s first thought is _how the fuck does he know that_ and his second thought is _fuck I hope Wanda isn’t watching this channel right now._

He walks up to Donghae when the kid gets kicked off the air after he reveals the somewhat embarrassing wish of the newswoman.

“Um, what the fu—hell is happening?”

“Yunho and Santa are in the park trying to get his sleigh to work but the engine is broken and the park rangers are after them so they don’t have time to fix it so their only hope is that enough people will start believing in Santa so that he’ll be able to power the sleigh on Christmas spirit—"

“Okay!” Changmin interrupts, a little desperate for the kid to stop talking because he’s going at a speed that Changmin can’t really keep up with. “Okay. Just—what can we do?”

Changmin doesn’t know why he’s not freaking out more, or why he’s even believing Donghae other than that he sounds pretty convincing. And, well, Yunho is Yunho, so him actually being from the North Pole and helping Santa would honestly explain so much. So he goes with it.

“I don’t know! We just have to get people to show some spirit somehow.”

Changmin flashes back to his and Yunho’s conversation from the showers a couple weeks ago.

“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear.”

 _Oh, fuck off_ , Changmin thinks, panicking. _Yunho probably really meant that. He probably learned that at fucking elf school. Fuck._

Changmin takes a deep breath. He spots an empty horse carriage that tourists like to use sitting on the street close to him and the crowd. He closes his eyes for a second. Another deep breath. He walks to the carriage and hops in, standing up so everyone can see him.

_Fuck._

And then he sings.

And it works.

A few minutes later he’s looking on with rest of the audience as Santa’s real, literal fucking sleigh flies past them. And Yunho’s sitting in the back. He smiles bright and genuine when he finds Changmin in the mix and waves wildly, screaming _thank you_ over and over again.

Changmin is dumbfounded.

_Did I just save Christmas? I totally just saved Christmas. Fuck yeah._

Changmin fist bumps the air as he’s hopping out of the carriage, but he’ll never admit to it.

-

He doesn’t see Yunho again until two days later, when there’s a knock on his apartment door at close to 11pm. He checks the peephole and his heart absolutely does not start beating rapidly when he sees that it’s Yunho and he absolutely does not do a quick breath-check before opening the door.

He barely gets the door open before Yunho is enveloping him in a hug and squeezing the damn life out of him. God, this guy likes hugs _._ Not that Changmin’s complaining.

“Changmin, you saved Christmas!” Changmin can't help but smile even if he has to hold back a wince at the volume.

“I mean, it wasn’t _only_ me.” He says in a playful tone as he’s pulling out of the hug.

Yunho places his hands on either side of Changmin’s face.

“That’s true, but we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you.” Changmin thinks this is maybe the only time he’s heard Yunho sound this serious and then Changmin’s not thinking anymore because Yunho is kissing him.

It’s close-mouthed and soft and gentle and Yunho hums into it a little. Changmin grabs on to the sleeves of Yunho’s coat because _god_ this man’s kisses almost make his knees buckle. When the fuck did he even learn to kiss in elf-land.

They stay like that for a while until Changmin remembers that his door is still wide open, so he breaks the kiss to go shut it. Then he tells Yunho to take his coat off before dragging Yunho to the couch, sitting him down and kissing him again like his life depended on it.

-

Two hours before midnight on New Year’s Eve Changmin figures out that Yunho doesn’t celebrate the new year like most humans, in that he walks into Yunho’s house to find him on the floor surrounded by what looks like the remains of a cabinet, diligently focused on making a rocking horse.

“You know Christmas has already passed, right?” Yunho looks up in surprise and smiles wide when he realizes it’s Changmin. His hands are spotted with green paint and when he pushes his hair back some of the paint gets on his forehead and _a lot_ gets into his hair. He puts down the hammer he’s holding to stand up and make his way to the shorter man, wrapping him up in a hug.

“Changmin!” He yells and Changmin knows he’s gonna come away from this with paint in his hair and also decides that he’s really gonna have to get Yunho to work on the whole shouting-directly-into-his-ear thing.

“Elves have to make toys all year round or else we won’t finish everything in time.” Yunho says as he pulls away, answering Changmin’s earlier question. “But also I just like making toys!”

“Well, I’m glad you enjoy it. Do elves not celebrate the new year?”

“Not really. The only holiday we really focus on is Christmas.”

“Oh, okay. Cool.” Changmin’s going to get to be Yunho’s first New Year’s kiss. Ever.

 _That’s so fucking cute,_ Changmin thinks.

And two hours later, Changmin pulls Yunho into the best New Year’s kiss of his life. Literal fireworks go off in the background but Changmin thinks there’s some pretty awesome metaphorical ones, too.

**Author's Note:**

> i just want to say that nothing in the world brings me greater joy than imagining changmin and yunho in those elf costumes
> 
> also i barely edited this so if there's mistakes, i'll find them eventually. probably.


End file.
